Mediterranean   |   READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

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Highly Recommended
Sea of Faith  •  Stephen O'Shea
HISTORY •  2009 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES
O'Shea weaves a tale of conquest, co-existence and conflict in the medieval Mediterranean in this gripping account of seven key battles between Christians and Muslims: Yarmuk A.D. 636), Poitiers (732), Manzikert (1071), Hattin (1187), Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), Constantinople (1453) and Malta (1565). (MED95, $17.00)		   Sea of Faith
The Middle Sea  •  John Julius Norwich
HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 720 PAGES
A marvelous writer who has already tackled Byzantium, the Normans in Sicily and Venice, Norwich spins his magic in this story of culture, trade and politics, royalty and rulers, wars and religion in the Mediterranean from antiquity to the end of the First World War. (MED98, $21.00)		   The Middle Sea
The Iliad/The Odyssey  •  Homer  •  Robert Fagles  •  Bernard Knox
LITERATURE •  2006 •  HARD COVER
A boxed edition of the Fagles translation of Homer, celebrated for its clarity and expressiveness. In two hardcover volumes, with a handsome slipcase. (GRE282, $75.00)		   The Iliad/The Odyssey
Mediterranean Passages, Readings from Dido to Derrida  •  Grant Parker  •  Miriam Cooke  •  Erdag Goknar
ANTHOLOGY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES
This compendium highlights 3,000 years of cultural exchange around the Mediterranean. With a hodge-podge of maps, architectural drawings, photographs, paintings and historical and literary texts, it brings antiquity into conversation with the present. (MED139, $27.95)		   Mediterranean Passages, Readings from Dido to Derrida
A Mediterranean Feast  •  Clifford A. Wright
FOOD •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 815 PAGES
"A Mediterranean Feast" includes fourteen original maps of the contemporary and historical Mediterranean, a guide to the Mediterranean pantry, food products resources, a complete bibliography, and a recipe and general index, in addition to a pronunciation key. An astonishing accomplishment of culinary and historical research and detective work in eight languages, "A Mediterranean Feast" is required--and intriguing--reading for any cook, armchair or otherwise. (MED126, $39.99)		   A Mediterranean Feast
Mediterranean by Cruise Ship  •  Anne Vipond
GUIDEBOOK •  2011 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES
The best-selling, compact guide, featuring excellent local maps, hundreds of color photographs, concise background information and recommended excursions for ports-of-call throughout Greece, Italy and the Mediterranean. Useful introductory chapters cover cruising, history, art & architecture and nature of the Mediterranean. With a pull-out map and hundreds of color photographs. (MED34, $21.95)		   Mediterranean by Cruise Ship
Mediterranean Explorer  •  Ocean Explorer Maps
2006 •  MAP • BEST SELLER
A full color map of the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to the Black Sea, featuring historical information on ancient sites and historic ports. With color photographs, a timeline, short biographies and other information of interest. Designed and published by intrepid expedition leader and editor Nigel Sitwell. Graham Speake, editor of The Penguin Dictionary of Ancient History, provides the historical information. (MED89, $11.95)		   Mediterranean Explorer



Also Recommended

Bradt Guide North Africa, The Roman Coast  •  Ethel Davis   • GUIDEBOOK  •  This practical, informative guide brings to life the ancient Roman heritage of modern-day Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. (NAF68, $25.99)
 		  
Lonely Planet Mediterranean Europe  •  Steve Fallon   • GUIDEBOOK  •  The Lonely Planet treatment of Mediterranean Europe, full of travel and background information for the independent traveler. (MED37, $29.99)
 		  
A Book of Mediterranean Food  •  Elizabeth David   • FOOD  •  A classic mix of lore, literary asides, recipes and enthusiasm for the food and culture of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Middle East. Published in the gloom of post-WWII Britain, David's tribute brims with affection for the strongly flavored food of the Mediterranean. (MED71, $14.95)
 		  
The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook  •  Nancy Harmon Jenkins   • FOOD  •  Bursting with good health and great flavors, this revised classic features 250 recipes highlighting the food and culture spanning the Mediterranean from Spain, France and Italy to Greece, Turkey, Morocco and the Middle East. (MED160, $35.00)
 		  
Beyond the Edge of the Sea  •  Mauricio Obregon   • HISTORY  •  The adventures of Jason and the Argonauts, Ulysses and other explorers of the ancient world are recreated in this personal account of ships, navigation and geographical discovery. (MED50, $15.00)
 		  
Casa Mediterranea  •  Massimo Listri   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  Traditional tile-roofed villas, historic gardens, contemporary masterpieces and beautiful houses of all sorts are included in this visual tour of style around the Mediterranean from France, Italy and Spain to Greece and Turkey, Morocco and Egypt. (MED159, $45.00)
 		  
Empires of the Sea  •  Roger Crowley   • HISTORY  •  Crowley vividly reconstructs the epic clash between the Ottoman Empire and Christendom for the control of the Mediterranean -- and the soul of 16th-century Europe -- in this thrilling account of dramatic battles and brutality, rival faiths and larger-than-life personalities. (MED146, $16.00)
 		  
Levant, Splendor and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean  •  Philip Mansel   • HISTORY  •  The talented Philip Mansel plumbs the histories of three remarkable cities of great wealth, pleasure and freedom -- Smyrna, Alexandria and Beirut -- from their cosmopolitan glory days to their fate in the 20th-centuiry, revealing cultural precedents for the reality of the contemporary Middle East in this absorbing history -- an excellent choice for Father's Day! (MED178, $20.00)
 		  
Pirates of Barbary, Corsairs, Conquests, and Captivity in the Seventeenth-Century Mediterranean  •  Adrian Tinniswood   • HISTORY  •  Tinniswood tells the compelling history of piracy at its peak in the 17th century, combining intricate portraits with a broader view of life on the high seas, the turbulence of the era and the lasting influence of Barbary pirates on relations between Christians and Muslims. (NAF78, $26.95)
 		  
The Ancient Mediterranean  •  Michael Grant   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  Grant explores the realms of archaeology, geography, art and economics to sketch this classic portrait of the ancient world, from prehistory through the Roman Imperium, and the influence on western civilization. (MED10, $20.00)
 		  
The Great Empires of the Ancient World  •  Thomas Harrison   • HISTORY  •  This excellent, beautifully illusrtated survey by a team, of scholars explores the major imperial powers of the ancient world, including Egypt, Rome, Babylonia, Persia, India and China -- and their modern legacies. (WLD173, $39.95)
 		  
The Great Sea  •  David Abulafia   • HISTORY  •  With an eye for telling detail and anecdote, Abulafia traces the sweep of Mediterranean history from the time of Troy to the mid 19th century, populating his tale with vivid personalities. He emphasizes the diversity of Mediterranean societies, arguing that the great port cities -- Alexandria, Trieste, Salonika and many others -- prospered in part because of the mix of many different peoples, religions and identities. (MED179, $34.95)
 		  
The Landmark Herodotus, The Histories  •  Herodotus  •  Robert B. Strassler  •  Andrea L. Purvis   • HISTORY  •  This marvelous, extensively annotated, dazzling new translation of Herodotus includes maps, drawings and photographs thoughout, bringing the classical world of the Mediterranean, its people, customs, battles and personalities, to vivid life. (GRE316, $45.00)
 		  
The Mediterranean in History  •  David Abulafia   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  A professor at Cambridge, David Abulafia leads a team of eight historians in this engaging, richly illustrated overview of the civilizations, societies and grand themes in the history of this great sea at the heart of Europe. Published in conjunction with the J. Paul Getty Museum, the book features 150 well-integrated color and 150 black-and-white illustrations. (MED79, $29.95)
 		  
The Templars, The History and the Myth  •  Michael Haag   • HISTORY  •  Haag investigates the origins and history, the enduring myths and the soaring architecture of this religious order of fighting knights. (MED149, $15.99)
 		  
The War That Killed Achilles  •  Caroline Alexander   • HISTORY  •  Caroline Alexander (The Endurance, The Bounty) turns to Homer in this new reading of the Illiad, its historical roots and heroic Archilles. (GRE392, $16.00)
 		  
Classical Architecture  •  James Stevens Curl   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  This well-illustrated book includes a detailed, illustrated glossary that is almost a dictionary of classical architecture in itself. Second edition. (MED190, $35.00)
 		  
Classical Art, From Greece to Rome  •  John S. Henderson  •  Mary Beard   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  Taking the excavations at Pompeii as a starting point, Beard and Henderson's fascinating history examines masterpieces of Ancient Greece and Rome, including monuments, statues and portraits. (MED194, $27.95)
 		  
Panorama of the Classical World  •  Nigel Spivey   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  Published by the J. Paul Getty Museum, these richly illustrated and engaging essays cover daily life in Greek, Roman and Etruscan times. (MED180, $29.95)
 		  
Roman Mosaics  •  Joseph Wilpert   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  This Dover reprint features 60 color reproductions of striking mosaics from the 4th to 13th centuries. (MED128, $15.95)
 		  
Sites of Antiquity, From Ancient Egypt to the Fall of Rome  •  Charles Freeman   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  Enticing aerial shots, detailed site plans, glorious modern photographs and illustrations illuminate 50 key monuments, cities or sites of the Mediterranean world, from Giza, Luxor and Karnak to the Parthenon, Ephesus, Pergamon, Petra and Constantinople. (MED150, $50.00)
 		  
The Greeks Overseas, The Early Colonies and Trade  •  John Boardman   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  An authoritative, illustrated survey of Greek civilization throughout the Mediterranean, revised and updated for this fourth edition. (GRE150, $25.95)
 		  
A Year in the World, Journeys of a Passionate Traveler  •  Frances Mayes   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  A warm account of mostly Mediterranean travels -- Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sicily, Capri, Sardinia, the Turkish Coast, Naples, Burgundy, Scotland -- arranged by season. (TVL109, $15.00)
 		  
Homer's Mediterranean, A Travel Companion  •  Wolfgang Geisthovel  •  Anthea Bell   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  Geisthovel retraces the voyages of the Odyssey and places that may have inspired Homer, traveling through Greece and Turkey, Tunisia, Malta and Italy on a grand circle from Troy to Ithaca. (MED161, $19.95)
 		  
In the Steps of St. Paul  •  H.V. Morton   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  Playing both pilgrim and traveler in this book, Morton charmingly mixes history with offhand humor, anecdote and keen observation. Bible in hand, he journeys through Syria, Cyprus, Turkey, Macedonia, Greece and Rhodes, ending fittingly at the Tomb of St. Paul. (MED70, $22.00)
 		  
Mediterranean Winter, The Pleasures of History and Landscape in Tunisia, Sicily, Dalmatia, and Greece  •  Robert D. Kaplan   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  The prolific journalist and traveler revisits the Mediterranean of his youth in this extended meditation on the pleasures and freedom of life on the road. (MED78, $16.00)
 		  
The Glorious Adventure  •  Richard Halliburton  •  Tahir Shah   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  Halliburton and companions follow in the wake of Odysseus from fallen Troy to Ithaca in this rollicking account of adventures in the Mediterranean, originally published in 1927. (MED181, $17.00)
 		  
The Olive Tree, A Personal Journey Through Mediterranean Olive Groves  •  Carol Drinkwater   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  In this fifth book Drinkwater journeys from her olive grove in the South of France to Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy in search of ideas and inspiration. (MED154, $16.95)
 		  
The Way of Herodotus, Travels with the Man Who Invented History  •  Justin Marozzi   • TRAVEL NARRATIVE  •  A Penguin Classics edition of The Histories in hand, Marozzi journeys from Herodotus' home town of Heliacarnassus, now known as Bodrum, to Baghdad, Babylon, Egypt and Athens, weaving tales of his hero with erudite and entertaining modern travel. (MED138, $16.95)
 		  
Traveling With Pomegranates  •  Ann Kidd Taylor  •  Sue Monk Kidd   • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR  •  Kidd (The Secret Life of Bees) opens this sweet mother-and-daughter travelogue with just graduated daughter Ann in the Archaeological museum in Athens, photographing a stature of Demeter and Persephone. This memoir forgoes high drama for lovely descriptions of the many trips the two have taken together, mixing descriptions of Greece and the Islands, Turkey and Paris with meditations on growing old, writing and their time together back home in South Carolina. (MED168, $15.00)
 		  
A Loeb Classical Library Reader  •  Loeb Classical Library   • LITERATURE  •  This pocket companion of lapidary nuggets, spanning 12 centuries and 33 of the world's greatest writers, from Homer to Saint Jerome, includes both original text and facing English translation. (MED148, $9.95)
 		  
Afloat  •  Guy de Maupassant   • LITERATURE  •  A book of dazzling but treacherously shifting currents, a seemingly simple logbook of a sailing cruise along the French Mediterranean coast that opens up to reveal unexpected depths, as Maupassant merges fact and fiction, dream and documentation in a wholly original style. (FRN754, $14.00)
 		  
No Man's Lands, One Man's Odyssey Through the Odyssey  •  Scott Huler   • LITERATURE  •  Middle-aged everyman and NPR commentator Scott Huler draws lessons from the twists and turns of the life of Odysseus in this hilarious account of a whirlwind, six-month Mediterranean journey from Troy to Ithaca. (MED127, $14.00)
 		  
The Iliad/The Odyssey  •  Robert Fagles   • LITERATURE  •  A combined edition of the celebrated Fagles translation of Homer. (GRE197, $34.00)
 		  
The Ionian Mission  •  Patrick O'Brian   • LITERATURE  •  The eighth volume in the rousing Aubrey and Maturin series takes the commander and his naturalist sidekick into the eponymous Ionian Isles, getting them mixed up not only with the French navy but also in Ottoman af-fairs. (MED26, $14.95)
 		  
Birds of the Mediterranean, A Photographic Guide  •  Paul Sterry   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A slim, concise and clearly organized guide to 440 species of birds from the Mediterranean. Range maps and descriptions are opposite good, clear color photographs, digitally enhanced to aid in identification. (MED82, $29.00)
 		  
 
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